1. Technical Field
This device relates to gear transmissions that provide a variable output from a constant speed power source and a constant output from a variable speed power source in accordance with the varied applications required.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices of this type have used a variety of different configurations to supply constant output from a variable speed input source. Such examples are well known within the art and use typically electronics and/or manual sensing means to gage the varying ratios between the actual input and the desired constant output required. Such systems are complicated, expensive and are difficult to maintain due to their sensing and managing speed relationship configurations.
Other mechanical methods of maintaining selected constant output from a varied input can be seen in, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,961,719, 2,547,453, 3,114,273 and 5,016,493.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,453 a variable speed transmission can be seen having a rotatable cage with multiple enclosed cranks. An annular cam is engaged by the cranks from which the selective output can be driven.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,273 defines a variable speed transmission having an elliptical gear trains with inclusive planetary gears. Differential gear pinions oscillate or rock between differential gears with the result that when the differential gear is locked, the remaining differential gear is required to rotate at given ratio.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,719 discloses a variable drive transmission using a carrier member mounted on a rotatable crank shaft with a number of spaced pivotally mounted segments that can selectively engage a central sprocket with multiple chain engagement sprockets rotatably secured to each segments.
In applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,493 a variable speed gearing assembly is disclosed that relies on the relative orbital size of a variation gear on a rotating crank shaft. A cyclable output is provided with an initial half-cycle due to the interlinking arm configurations.